Vampire Death-Demos 2017

Self-Release/Independent
2017

Formed in 2016 and featuring members of the heavy/doom metal band Arkham Witch, Vampire Death is a (old school-loving) punk rock/horror rock trio from Keighley, UK that is lead by vocalist/guitarist Moshferatu. Influences seem to include The Misfits, Dead Kennedys, The Damned, The Cramps, T.S.O.L., Sex Pistols, and The Exploited. In addition to Moshferatu (guitars and mad mad vox!), Vampire Death includes drummer/metal goddess Countess Bashery and bassist/backing vocalist Klankenstein. Preceded in life by the full-length "Horror Soul", Vampire Death released "Demos 2017" back in late November of 2017. Available on CD and as a digital download, this 12-track album is a must for fans of British punk and horror punk!

Song titles include "Brother Blood and Sister Syn", "On the Prowl", "Dracula has Risen from the Grave", "Coffin Dweller", "Barbarians!", "Headbangers!", and "Skullface". That alone should tell you something about this fun act! If you need more proof though then why not head over to the group's bandcamp page and hear this ghoulish gem for yourself? You can find both "Demos 2017" and "Hour Soul" at this link.

Arkham Witch-"Get Thothed-Vol. II"

Metal On Metal Records
2018

Arkham Witch* is a UK-based heavy/doom metal band that was formed in 2009 by vocalist/bassist Simon (The Lamp of Thoth) and drummer Emily (The Lamp of Thoth, ex-ex-Syteria). As of this writing, Arkham Witch is rounded out by guitarists Aldo "Dodo" Doom (ex-Let 'Em Burn, ex-Gods of Hellfire, ex-Diavolo, ex-Ironstorm) and Dirty John (ex-Let 'Em Burn, ex-BloodStream). This six-track EP, "Get Thothed -Vol. III", comes two or so years after the release of the single "Frost and Fire 2016" (a very cool Cirith  Ungol cover that can be downloaded for free by heading here.) Just in case the title isn't enough of a giveaway, this release is the 3rd (and ultimately last) one in a series of EPs where Arkham Witch plays The Lamp Of Thoth material. In the case of "Get Thothed-Vol. III" we are talking about previously-unreleased TLOT material. I'm not sure if all three of the EPs are like this (covers of previously-unreleased material from TLOT), but this particular one is. If my notes are correct (and they should be) the line-up for this EP was: Simon (vocals), Aldo "Dodo" Doom (guitars), Dirty John (guitars), Jayanta Brahma (bass), and Emily Ningauble (drums). As previously stated there are only six songs on this EP. That is all fine and dandy I suppose, but when you have a couple of long tracks like "The Beast and the Black Art" (a blazing hot hard & heavy/metallic doom cut that clocks in at 11:13 and is a fave moment of mine!) and "This Wretched World Forlorn" (this heavier than hell/slow and steady doom smasher runs ten minutes and forty eight seconds!) should you really call this disc a EP? If anything it is more like an expanded EP. And it is a f**king good one at that! Clocking in at over fifty minutes(!), "Get Thothed-Vol. II" starts off with the heavy & hard doom rocker that is "Emperor of Dreams". From there we are treated to one sick track after another with "Lord of the Midnight Hour" and "Wizard of the Gloves" being two of my other favorite numbers on this devilishly-good EP. The seven plus minutes long "Lord of the Midnight Hour" is a grand mixture of doom metal, N.W.O.B.H.M., and occult metal. It has a sinister vibe that should appeal to both old school doom rock/metal fans and anyone that likes the more twisted side of devil rock**. Running just over the seven minute mark, "Wizard of the Gloves" starts off sounding like classic Metallica before slowly morphing it's way into a doom-laden hard rock number that would make Ozzy proud! It might not be the most technical number of the lot, but there is no denying it's catchy nature. Closing things out on this extended-EP we have "The Marriage of the Ghouls". At 8:21 it carries a very familiar sound, but I wouldn't want to spoil it for anything by reveling too much. It is another one of those slow and steady burners that suddenly comes to life at the very end of the song. Fairly solid overall, the song works as the EP's last track. Packaged in a cardboard sleeve with a two-page insert and a twelve-page booklet with lyrics for all of the EPs, "Get Thothed -Vol. III" is a nice gift for fans of the band as well as anyone that likes top-tier heavy/doom metal. It is also a sweet CD to listen to while we patiently wait for album number four from the guys and gal in Arkham Witch. Speaking of which, when will that drop again?



* It's a funny thing to think about now, but I didn't like Arkham Witch the first time I heard them (link). Their one track, "For Metal", appeared on the Metal On Metal Records' sampler "Compendium Of Metal Vol. 5" and I thought it was dull. Fast forward a few months and the group's sophomore album, "Legions of the Deep" blew me away! That just goes to show the sometimes you can be wrong about first admissions. You can read my review of that album by heading here. If you don't already have it, "Legion of the Deep" comes highly-recommended as it makes for a must-have addition to any (hard & heavy) doom metal collections!!


**By "devil rock" I mean the kind of bands and artists that would use the image of Satan to shock people.

Arkham Witch-Legions of the Deep

Metal On Metal Records
2012

Before I get into this sophomore release from England's Arkham Witch I feel that I should give special props to Jowita Kaminska-Peruzzi for the excellent art work here. Yes, this is not Jowita's first attempt with a paint brush as she has worked with Exodus, Witchburner, Attacker, Forsaken, Meliah Rage, Manilla Road, Deceased, etc. Thing is Jowita is also the owner of Metal On Metal Records. I could be wrong, but there can't be that many record label owners that not only support their signings, as they should be obviously, but also supply the cover art for their release! At least I can't recall any. This cool Lovecraft-inspired painting aside it is the music that is the meat of the matter. My past experience with Arkham Witch didn't exactly leave me feeling inspired about this album (the band recorded  "For Metal" which was on Metal On Metal Records' "Compendium Of Metal Vol. 5"-review link below) as their supposed "doom metal meets NWOBHM" sound felt flat and lifeless. From the sound's offered up here then that compilation track must have been a throwaway cut. Album number two from Arkham Witch is nothing sort of sick. There were fleeting moments when I didn't care for I was hearing. It's only a rare moment here and there though. For example the track "Infernal Machine" falls into the trap of putting too much emphasis on the backing vocals and offering up to much straight heavy metal when it would have been better served as a trimmed up cut with more NWOBHM influences (Note: after getting some feedback on the review, which I always appreciate by the way, I was sent the following comment from owner Jowita: "for us it's "Infernal Machine" that immediately brings to mind Deep Switch - just listen to "Pig Feeder" - they can't hide which song inspired them here. ;)" and you know what? As I listen to "Pig Feeder" those Deep Switch flavors are really bold! Good call and spot on!). Other then maybe that cut it was rare for me to turn my head and say "Well, that doesn't quite jive". So, there were little to no times on the band's sophomore record when I wasn't fully engaged with the bands take on NWOBHM. For the record there is some doom to be found here, but a better description is in tall order here. Before I get to that though the promo gives it's fair share of bands that inspired Arkham Witch. So, without further wait (as I know you are dying to find out!) here are the bands that are said to have rocked the band into existence: "DEEP SWITCH, HELL, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, JUDAS PRIEST, PENTAGRAM, SAINT VITUS, MANILLA ROAD, CIRITH UNGOL and of course THE LAMP OF THOTH". The Deep Switch and Hell comparisons are probably fitting (especially on the above mentioned track now that I listen to it again) and so is the Judas Priest tag. The other bands though? Sure, I'd say your in the same ballpark, but Arkham Witch have their own flow going for them. The Lamp Of Thoth comparison comes from the fact that vocalist Simon and drummer Emily both played with said band. The only thing is I have never heard their other band so I can't commit to that comparison. For the record they are joined by bassist John Demaine and guitarist Aldo "Dodo" Delle Rose (both of which also handle backing vocals) and the four of them sound great all around. There are no real complaints about the four musicians although Simon does try to do a bit more then what is called for. That being said he never falls out of favor with me on the band's sophomore release and, as stated, the four musicians do a good job of making the music sound wicked and sinister without being completely offsetting. Going back to the influences once more (as it's the best way to try to describe the band's own take on heavy metal) and I'd dare to bet a dollar or two that the band has a "passing" familiarity with Kiss and Black Sabbath (see "Gods of Storm and Thunder" to hear what I'm getting at). Not that those are bad influences or anything. I'm just saying they might have heard a few tracks from both bands and possibly decided to combine them into a hard and heavy number. As we find our way back to this LP let us take a quick look and see why everything works so well for the band. Take a cut like "Kult of Kutulu" and just listen to it. I mean really sit down and listen to it. Not only is it straight, no filler, heavy metal (and good heavy metal at that), but it does pull in some subtle NWOBHM influences (in this case Deep Switch again) and makes the music work to their advantage. It doesn't sound dated or tired which is often times the one drawback I discover from these sort of "retro" inspired acts.. It's modern sounding without being modern metal (thank God for that!). Instead it's like some mad scientist took out a empty beaker in a laboratory and mixed together the better elements of traditional heavy, NWOBHM, power metal and yes, maybe just a pinch or two, some doom before letting it come to a furious boil. With the beaker threatening to boil over the mad doctor decides it's time to dump the contents into empty pods and let them mature into a muted metal band. Along the way somehow some punk attitude leaks into the pods  (see "We're from Keighley"), but somehow/someway they do grow into a solid 4-piece metal band. As this is only the band's second release I'm sure there is room to grow and improve. But, as this is ONLY the band's second release it must be said again that this is some SWEET stuff they've got going on and the future is there for the taking if they can keep hungry. With quality releases like this one Metal On Metal Records is slowly becoming one of my favorite record labels. Speaking of Metal On Metal Records be sure to head over to their site where they are streaming three songs off of the album. The cuts included are "At the Mountain of Madness" (a very cool number), "Infernal Machine" and "The Cloven Sea". You can find them all here: http://metal-on-metal.com/bands/arkham-witch/ Metal on Metal Records website.













Review of  "Compendium Of Metal Vol. 5":

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=arkham+witch